Apple's new iPhone Duo is the company's first foldable device - but at £1,999, it's not cheap.
Spreading the cost over a multi-year contract may be tempting, but doing so with a major provider could cost you £1,000 more.
In research shared exclusively with the Money blog, consumer champion Which? found:
- Buying the new iPhone Duo with EE, O2 or Vodafone on a four-year contract means paying £37 a month for their basic unlimited data SIM
- Over four years, this amounts to paying at least £1,146 more compared to using a cheap SIM from a virtual network. For example, Which? has seen unlimited data offered for as little as £15 a month on a one-month contract with iD Mobile
- Plus, as all three networks use annual price increases, the SIM bill won't stay at £37 for long. After 31 March 2027, it will jump to £39.50 a month, then £42 a month after 31 March 2028.
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Looking just at the handset, you could end up paying £170 more with major networks, Which? found.
- With EE or O2, the total repayment for an iPhone Duo costs £2,169.36, while with Three or Vodafone it's £2,167.84
- However, you can buy an iPhone Duo directly from Apple for £1,999 or £66.63 a month for 30 months
Lisa Barber, Which? tech editor, told the Money blog: "For those still looking to get their hands on the latest Apple launch, buying on contract will likely be a popular option, but our research has found this can come with a painful sting in the tail.
"Not only do consumers pay more for the handset, but they also end up paying hefty monthly sums for data. Shockingly, we found you could pay over £1,000 more this way over a four-year period compared to a SIM-only deal."
Here are Which?'s current recommendations for best-value high or unlimited data SIMs...
You can still spread the cost
Which? advises that it's always cheaper to buy the phone outright from a retailer than on a contract with a network.
You'll end up saving money with the initial purchase and having control of the SIM portion of the contract.
If you still want to spread the cost, the best thing to do is to look out for interest-free options.
Of course, another way to save money is by either not going for the very latest model or by shopping in the refurbished market.
(c) Sky News 2026: The £1,000 mistake people are making with new iPhone purchase
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